Tonight, live from Fukuoka, Japan, RIZIN returns with a stellar RIZIN 10 fight card. Earlier this morning, the fighters weighed in. Check out those RIZIN 10 Weigh-In Results below.
All athletes involved made the weight necessary, and all provided media in Japan with some interesting quotes – likely the final public statements we will get from each of them prior to them stepping in the ring.
RIZIN 10 Weigh-In Results
Kyoji Horiguchi (60.8kg) vs. Ian McCall (60.75kg)
Kyoji Horiguchi:
“I have been keeping my eye on Ian since my days in the UFC – since he was a contender and potential opponent. The moment I found out (last year) that he was participating in the Grand-Prix, I just knew I would fight him, but it didn’t happen due to some bad luck. It’s happening now, and I can fight with him in all areas, but my bread and butter is the striking. So it would be great to finish this fight on the feet.”
“I am confident that I can beat Demetrious Johnson if we fought now. I am an absolutely different fighter from the last time we fought. I have finished all opponents since moving back up to bantamweight. I don’t cut much weight, and I feel very strong and healthy.”
Ian McCall:
“Kyoji is a really hood fighter. I thought for sure I was going to fight him last year in the tournament. That is actually the only fight I really wanted. I’m most dangerous in wrestling and in scrambles, but I am for sure going to bring the fight. (After loss to Kape,) I don’t ever want to get near those ropes again, so we’re going to have to kickbox. When I fight him, we’re going to really get into a fight.”
Yusaku Nakamura (57.65kg) vs. Tenshin Nasukawa (57.85kg)
Yusaku Nakamura:
“(Tenshin) is an amazing kid. A really phenomenal kickboxer. I don’t even want to imagine what kind of fighter he will turn out to be in five years. But right now, I’m just really excited for this fight. The key for me to win is – distance. I cannot stick with his kickboxing distance. I need to keep it in MMA or Kempo distance. I hope to pull off the biggest upset in RIZIN with a devastating knockout.”
Tenshin Nasukawa:
“I am going to finish this fight with one of the following; left high-kick, left cross, teep-kick to the liver, spinning back-kick, or jumping knee to the face.”
Kanna Asakura (48.75kg) vs. Melissa Karagianis (48.95kg)
Kanna Asakura:
“I know that there is a target on my back, and since winning the tournament last year with two finishes, I know I have to keep finishing my fights. (Melissa) is aggressive and keeps coming forward, so I have to keep the fight at my pace and not let her fight her fight. This fight allows elbows, so I am eager to be testing them out. After this, I would prefer to not fight RENA again, but if I have to, I would.”
Melissa Karagianis:
“I’ve seen all of her fights from last year, and she is a very good wrestler. But everybody has flaws in their game, so I’m just gonna have to try and expose that.”
Diego Nunes (69.75kg) vs. Yusuke Yachi (69.75kg)
Diego Nunes:
“This fight will be the best fight on this event for sure. We are both explosive and aggressive, so I don’t see this fight going the distance. Yachi is a good fighter and very experienced. He has some great accomplishments in RIZIN, so he is the perfect opponent for my RIZIN debut. I have studied him very well, and I know his weaknesses. I will be more than ready to show the Japanese crowd what I can do. My wife dreamt about me fighting Japan a year ago, this is all happening for a reason.”
Yusuke Yachi:
“I actually had the opportunity to go drinking with Gomi after we fought last year. He is a crazy drunk. He forced me to take so many shots, but it was alot of fun. I want to fight all those tough guys out there. If there are any ‘tough’ fighters, I want a fight with them. I’m still not even in the Top 100 in the world at lightweight, so I want to test and prove myself. I believe that I am nearing my prime, so I need to challenge myself.”
Daron Cruickshank (69.85kg) vs. Koshi Matsumoto (69.95kg)
Daron Cruickshank:
“He is a weathered fighter. He is the old bull in this fight, and he is not going to be able to touch me or take me down. I don’t think he will be able to do much, and I will beat the sh*t out of him. He really relies on these one-shot knockouts, but it will take mroe than one shot to finish me.”
Koshi Matsumoto:
“I trained with Satoru Kitaoka – who has beat Daron in RIZIN – and he told me one thing; ‘Daron’s strikes hurt, so be careful.’ I think he is a great kicker, so figuring out the distance and fighting from there is my key to victory. But he is a great striker, so I do feel obligated to strike with him.”
Issei Ishii (51.4kg) vs. Daishin Sakai (51.3kg)
Issei Ishii:
“I lost my last fight in RIZIN, right here in Fukuoka, in my backyard. I’m not letting that happen again. I have about 500 people coming ouy to support me, and I will not let them down again. I think that kickboxing is making a comeback as a real mainstream sport, and I would like to take this opportunity to boost it even more. I am the quickest fight on this card. Nobody will move faster than me.”
Daishin Sakai:
“My motivation? To be the youngest champion in kickboxing. I’m not necessarily looking to make a career out of kickboxing. In three years I may be studying in the United States, I may have my own business, or I may be a kickboxing superstar.”
Manel Kape (59.0kg) vs. Kai Asakura (58.9kg)
Manel Kape:
“At first when I got this match-up, I thought it was bullsh*t. I should be fighting Horiguchi for the belt. Asakura is a good fighter and explosive, but I am better than him at every aspect. So I will beat him and send him back to where he came from. In three years I see myself being a RIZIN and UFC champion, and a Ferrari owner.”
Kai Asakura:
“My motivation for this fight is to win in an impressive fashion and get on that August card, which will be held in Nagoya – my hometown. Kape relies alot on his natural physical gift, and lack in technique. I am only thinking of a KO win, and I am determined to not show any stalling. I have no desire to go through all full rounfs, so I’m going for the finish right away from the first bell. I want to be RIZIN’s poster boy. I want to go after and beat up all their current poster boys, take their spot.”
Ayaka Hamasaki (48.85kg) vs. Alyssa Garcia (49kg)
Ayaka Hamasaki:
“I aim to show the strength of a world champion and dominate my opponent while aggressively going for the finish. Her coach, Josh Barnett, knows my coach and my team very well. So I am sure they will have a very, very good gameplan. But I will still dominate. I don’t have too many fights left in my. So I just want to perform well, leave and impact, and hopefully retire in RIZIN.”
Alyssa Garcia:
“I am the underdog, and people think I’m getting thrown to the wolves. But we have trained well for Hamasaki and we will be ready for what she has to bring. On top of my regular coach Josh Barnett, I have been working with a striking coach as well. So my striking has improved very much. I have no problem being on the ground, I just need to fight smart.”
Ante Delija (110.3kg) vs. Ricardo Prasel (107.25kg)
Ante Delija:
“I started training with Mirko Cro cop about 18 months ago. I am well-rounded, but my strong point is my grappling and ground-and-pound. The training with Cro Cop helped my striking, but Prasel is a good fighter with good submission skills. And I have no problem. I will pound him out.”
Ricardo Prasel:
“I want to put on a great fight and take home a leg. I had multiple offers on the table from main stream promotions, but when I got the call from RIZIN, I took it in a heartbeat.”
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (111.35kg) vs. Andrey Kovalev (103.4kg)
Jairzinho Rozenstruik:
“I want to share my dream with the underprivileged kids of Suriname. I need to be their role model and give these kids hope. I don’t plan on submitting people. I know how to get out of submissions, but I don’t know how to set any up because I never plan to. I’m going to do what I do best; the knockout.”
Andrey Kovalev:
“I want to put on a good performance. Be recognized by the world. I would like to be the one to retire Mirko Cro Cop.”
Kanako Murata (53.6kg) vs. Lanchana Green (53.7kg)
Kanaka Murata:
“Last year started with and injury for me, and it also ended in one. I set up a six week camp under coach Kirian Fitzgibbons at Combat Sports Academy and really learned a lot. I am looking forward to test out what I have worked on in the United States.”
Lanchana Green:
“This is very short-notice, but I had a fight on May 12th get cancelled on me. So I was ready to fight. I know Murata is a strong wrestler and she will probably want to take me down, but hey. I’m used to that.”
Tomohiro Kitai (62.8kg) vs. Kurogi Darvish (62.85kg)
Tomohiro Kitai:
“My opponent is a bull fighter who will never stop coming forward until you knock him unconscious. That is my kind of fight, so win or lose, I will show my heart and never back down.”
Kurogi Darvish:
“I am all about bringing a fight, so you will see a face to face brawl. After my last fight in RIZIN, I got just an amazing response from the people around me, so I will put on a show again and make an even bigger name off of it.”
